Let's cut to the chase; with pay transparency becoming a major topic in hiring, it's worth asking: Is hiding salary ranges harming your ability to attract quality candidates?
Salary secrecy may be doing more harm than good. In an increasingly competitive job market, top talent prioritises transparency, fairness, and efficiency in the hiring process. If your job postings lack salary details, you might lose out on the best candidates before they apply.
The Growing Demand for Salary Transparency
While the UK does not currently have pay transparency laws, companies are realising the benefits that pay transparency can bring to their organisations.
Studies have shown that job ads with salary information get twice as many clicks and 6x as many applications as those without. This is because, to applicants, it shows that a company is willing to be open and transparent, and that's a green flag for the increasingly aware job seeker looking for more than just a pay check but a healthy working environment.
The need for salary transparency isn't new. A 2022 LinkedIn study revealed that 91% of respondents said that including salary ranges in a job post would affect their decision to apply. This remained consistent across industries and worker seniority. The modern workforce—particularly Millennials and Gen Z—values transparency and fairness in compensation.
How Hiding Salary Ranges Affects Candidate Quality
1. You Deter Highly Qualified Candidates
Top-tier candidates are often selective about where they apply. If they don’t see a salary range, they may assume the compensation isn’t competitive and move on to a listing that provides more clarity.
Experienced professionals, especially those with in-demand skills, don’t want to go through multiple interview rounds only to find out the offer is below their expectations. You risk losing the best talent to companies that are more upfront about pay by omitting salary details.
2. You Attract Unqualified Applicants
When job seekers don’t know the salary range, they apply based on their own assumptions. This means you may receive applications from candidates whose salary expectations far exceed your budget—or those who are underqualified but apply anyway.
Recruiters then spend unnecessary time filtering out mismatched applicants, making the hiring process longer and less efficient.
3. It Wastes Time in the Hiring Process
Employers and candidates waste valuable time on interviews and negotiations without salary transparency. Many candidates will drop out of the process when they discover the salary doesn’t meet their expectations, leading to lost time and resources for both sides.
Additionally, salary negotiations can become frustrating and drawn out when expectations aren’t aligned from the beginning. This can lead to higher rejection rates and a negative candidate experience, potentially harming your employer brand.
Best Practices for Salary Transparency in Job Listings
When adding salary ranges to your job postings, here are some best practices:
Use a salary range instead of a fixed number to allow room for negotiation while still setting clear expectations.
Highlight other benefits and perks such as flexible working, bonuses, and career development opportunities to give a well-rounded view of compensation.
Ensure internal pay structures are fair before making salaries public—salary transparency should reflect consistency across your workforce.
Introducing Verelogic Recruitment
At Verelogic Recruitment, we pride ourselves on building and maintaining strong relationships with clients and candidates to ensure we match the right people with the best role that matches their skills.
It's not just about "filling a role." We care about getting our clients the best talent, through building relationships.
Conclusion
Hiding salary information in job listings may seem minor, but it can significantly impact the quality of candidates you attract. By embracing salary transparency, you can streamline hiring, build trust with job seekers, and improve candidate experience.
As the job market evolves, companies that adapt to changing candidate expectations will have a competitive advantage.
So, is it time to rethink your salary transparency strategy? With our extensive quality candidate database, Verelogic Recruitment can help you find the ideal candidate for your open roles. Reach out to our team today: recruitment@verelogic.co.uk .
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